Two years ago (May 2010) I got the “crazy” idea to start a blog about simple organized living. I knew that I had PLENTY to say, but I had no idea if anyone besides Dave and my mom would read what I wrote.
However I made up my mind… and after about 4 months of hashing out design details, adding content, and uploading images, SimpleOrganizedLiving.com was born in September of 2010.
At the time, my main motivation behind this blog was to provide an online resource for my organizing clients, coaching clients, and all the women who came to my workshops and speaking engagements.
This blog was supposed to be a TOOL FOR MY BUSINESS… but it ended up BECOMING MY BUSINESS!
I now work full-time on my blog and as a virtual assistant for a few other blogs.
I’ve had the privilege of sharing my life with you and getting to know many of you on a very personal level… some even “in real life”! I’ve enjoyed sharing hundreds of tips, ideas, photos, recipes, printables, giveaways, and so much more.
I feel blessed to do something I love… but even more blessed to know that there people (besides Dave and my mom) who actually read my blog on a daily basis, implement my ideas, and are committed to creating a simple, more organized life!
Can you believe that over 2 MILLION people have visited Simple Organized Living!
Yeah, Nora is really excited about that too 🙂
To date, I’ve been able to offer every bit of information completely FREE… and I plan to continue doing so, thanks to my amazing sponsors and advertisers.
Free is good… right!
However, over the past several months, I’ve received quite a few emails from loyal readers asking if there was any way they could donate a small amount of money to show their appreciation for the tips, ideas, and advice they’ve gleaned from SimpleOrganizedLiving.com. Some were so persistent that they actually mailed me gift cards or sent money to my personal PayPal account!
Thank you, THANK YOU!
.
So, as Simple Organized Living continues to grow, and as I continue to incur more and more expenses, I’ve decided to set up a “Show Your Support” page for anyone interested in supporting SimpleOrganizedLiving.com (via monetary donation, advertising, promotional opportunities, or even just a kind note of encouragement).
This is by no means a “request” for donations, but rather a place for anyone who is interested to show their support. If you’ve benefited from my blog in any way, please click over to my new Show Your Support page to discover all the many ways you can help to support me (most of which won’t cost you a penny).
At the very least, I’d love for you to leave a comment with one tip, idea, recipe, project, etc. that has helped you to simplify and organize your life. And of course, you may feel free to leave any suggestions for future blog posts too 🙂
Thanks so much for your continued support!
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Vesna says
Dear Andrea,
I am from Serbia (South of Europe). I am a proud mom of a 3 year old boy and I’m expecting another one in September. I have a day job at the University administration and an evening job in a small school of aikido (my husband and I opened school almost 13 years ago).
I found your blog accidentally ten days ago and it was “love at first sight”. I started to read it every day. It is so amazing when you see that far, far away, across the ocean, there are moms like me – working, babysitting, trying to organize life in a simple but efficient way. We live in so different societies with so different way of life, but still we have the same problems and same wishes. Thank you for showing me that I can do everything I planed or wish for, and all I have to do is to believe in myself. Yes, I agree with you – I can have it all (my kind of “all”).
Thank you for your tips for blogging. Now I have everything I need to finally start my own blog instead to write for others. I had a support from my husband and my friends, but I never had a strength to actually do it. Until now. Maybe it will last long to begin, to prepare everything before start, but like you said – it is a marathon not a sprint!
Sorry for my bad English, but I hope that you can understand what I am trying to say.
Thank you for changing my life!
Andrea says
Thanks for the kind words Vesna — so glad to have inspired you.
Good luck as you consider starting your own blog 🙂
Kristine says
I love your blog! I have it tagged on my tool bar and I visit often! You have such great ideas. Your thoughts and ideas on organizing and time managment are amazing! I also love your tips on money! Saving, not spending on things…being thrifty! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Congrats! Also, hats off to you for being so open and honest about your first baby and all that that entails! I have 4 now, everyone different…it is so exciting!
Chalyse Meiklejohn says
Andrea – THANK YOU!! This website has totally transformed the way I look at life!
I just got married in August of 2011 and found your blog a few months after that. Now my house is always clean, organized and simple! You’ve helped me to save tons of money and relieved a LOT of my stress!
I love your recipes, couponing skills, list making and organizing ideas. This blog is really a life saver!
When my husband and I lost our first baby on November 29th (I was 8 weeks along) I started cleaning like crazy to help keep my mind distracted. I enjoyed looking at all of your posts of Nora – they really made me smile! Your blog helped keep my spirits up by giving me something new to organize and make better, and your adorable daughter really gave me joy while I was mourning the loss of our first child.
Well – I am pregnant again – 14 weeks!!!! – and have been stalking your baby board on Pinterest and your post about how to have a baby for under $300 and Raising An Infant On a Budget! It really has helped so far!
So, thank you for this blog. You are truly inspirational and have helped make my life much more simple! God bless you and your family!
Chalyse Meiklejohn says
Oh – and our baby is due November 20th – right around the time Nora was born! 🙂
Andrea says
Wow thanks Chalyse!
That means a lot — and a HUGE congrats on your news. How exciting!
deborah says
Wow! I am so happy for you that your blog has done so great! Yay! Blogging takes time!
The picture of you and Nora is so, so good!
Brooke W. says
I have been a reader of your blog for about a year now. And, honestly, each post every day, never disappoints.
I admire and adore your honesty, (sadly, there aren’t enough blogs out there where women actually say, “yes, being a mom is tough, brutal at times…”, and “no, I can’t do it all!”).
You have given me great ideas in regards to scheduling my time, organizing our home (ok, still lots and lots of work to do on that front!), awesome family friendly recipes… and most recently I have referred to your easy maintenance gardening/yard space post.
This is my first year attempting to plant much, (yes, even flowers that just hang out in pots!)… and we are temporarily in a rental home, but you have definitely given so many great ideas for things that are inexpensive and/or easily moved for when our house is ready!
Thank you for all of your hard work! And, it is hard work… mothering, being a wife, a family member, a friend, a blogger, a stay at home working mother… and the best part of your blog, is you don’t try to hide behind the “superwomen/supermom mask”…. Keep up the awesome work!
DEBBIE says
I am a new fan now. Have been reading everyday for about 2 months.
I love it and have started orgainzing our home and feel great!
Thanks and keep up the good work. I made the pizze pasta dish and its a new
favorite in our house!
Elena says
Andrea,
I love your blog! I love that your positive, that you share great ideas/recipes and that you always include wonderful pictures (especially those of Nora:)) with all your posts.
I always look forward to reading your new blog entries and appreciate all that you share with us.
One of my favorite recipes is the one you shared for granola bars…yummy!
Thanks!!
Pamela says
I love your blog, so many inspirational tips, esp. the time management. I made your baked sandwiches for a get together during football season. Huge Hit!
Hana says
I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago and it has already made such a difference in my life! Actually I’m taking a short break right in the middle of organizing some spaces in my kitchen. I purged and organized my master closet and dresser a few days ago, and organized under my kitchen sink the next morning. So simple, easy, and it has already made such a difference. Now I have a few things to donate, and some to sell on craigslist. I’ll also be selling some of my clothes at a local consignment store, since they’re “fashionable” and in good condition.
Your blog has really inspired me to keep my home neater and simpler, without feeling overwhelmed. Part of me wants to attack the whole house, but just doing these little projects has made a huge difference for me, and I know I can get to the other things in the future. Amazing what fifteen to thirty minutes can do!
I’m quite busy with school and other activities, but when I have a block of time to spare, I just come to your blog, look at posts relevant to the area of the house I want to tackle, and then I’m so inspired I just dive right in! It’s such a feeling of accomplishment and it really gives me more peace of mind to have that section of my house de-cluttered!
Thanks so much for sharing your great tips and tricks!
Cathleen says
Your website has a great look – you have obviously put a lot of thought into the design and layout. Do you have any saved screen shots of your blog when you first started? It would be a blast to see a few nostalgia images!
Beth says
I love your blog and it is one of the ones I read daily! Reading your blog actually inspired me to take the plunge and start my own! I’m loving it! Hoping to meet you soon at the West Michigan Blogging group meeting! 🙂
Trish Magdaleno says
Your essage about what you do and don’t spend time on…. really hit home with me.
The section on volunteer work was very powerful. As I look for ways to free up my time to make room for my health and my business, I realized, I need to make a few changes.
I am happy to report, because of you, I did resign from several committments and the change has been a benefit.
I love your blog and am grateful for you, the content and new found knowledge.
Trish
Raquel says
I too am a loyal follower! I click on your site every weekday and have enjoyed following you through your pregnancy and now your beautiful growing family! Although, I am in a very different place in my life (kids are in college) I share the love of organizing with you. I enjoy your tips on saving money and may I say that your cheesy bread recipe is the BEST EVER! Congrats on your Blogversary!
Melissa says
Your blog has helped me simplify our home in many ways. It has helped inspire me to tackle one area of our home after another as we had acquired a lot of clutter were in need of many purges and organizing projects! I didn’t always choose to make time to tackle these things but reading your blog over the past few months has helped me WANT to make time for these activities and I actually HAVE made time for them. Over the past few months I have purged our master closet, my bookshelves, and various spots in our kitchen. Actually after reading your weekend giveaway post on Friday, I was inspired to sit down on Saturday morning and empty our entire kitchen gadget drawer and to get rid of about 1/3 of it’s contents. That made this weekend’s cooking endeavors go a lot faster! There’s no doubt that your tips, tricks, and inspiration have helped me become a better home manager. With both my husband and I working outside of the home these are skills that have really come in handy and have returned a little more calm to our busy lives. Thank you!
Also, I tried your recipe for pizza pasta on Friday night. Delicious! That one is definitely going into our regular dinner rotation. Next time I will make a double batch so that we have one tray to freeze.
Thrifty Mom in Boise says
I discovered your blog last fall and I fell in love with it immediately. In fact your blog encouraged me to start my own this past November. It was an idea I’d been kicking around for a long time so I took the plunge and it has been so much fun.
I check in on your blog every day and I hope I am half as successful as you are with mine in the next year or so. Your tips and ideas are terrific. Keep up the great blogging!!!
Chris says
Yes! I love your web site. It is one of my favorites and I usually read it 5X a week.
Kim says
Although I am fairly new to your site (just found you a couple of days ago), I already used a couple of your recipes…yum!!! I also find your organizing tips very helpful. My husband and I are in the process of trying to get things together to make a big move from Indiana to Washington state in the next couple of years (when he is done with school) and we are trying to purge things. Have been trying to figure out a way to get rid of my son’s baby clothes (it’s so hard to give them up!) and your tips are helping me to do this. Thank you!
Heather says
I absolutely love your site! I discoverd it a couple months ago and just keep coming back for more! My cupboards are now organized! It took me a whole day to clean out my master bedroom closet and dressers, and they have never been so organized! Your t shirt folding type was a life saver! And who would’ve known I had 7 trash bags of clothes in that closet that I could live without! Keep up the awesome work!’
Ann says
I have to say that I am a huge fan, read it every morning and am so grateful for your good ideas and warm, comfortable writing style!
diane h says
I always enjoy your blog. I too, faithfully read it whenever it lands in my inbox. I tried out and loved the simple granola bars recipe. Plus looking at your pictures, especially of your very clean and clutter free desk, inspires me. thanks!
Kari says
Hello Adrea 🙂
I read your blog almost every day. I find your blog inspiring, and it often offers a different view then my own….(The “i like to wash” view.. and others..) i like that.
Compared to other blogs i have seen you also appears as a real person in a real life, by that i mean you dont always blog about a perfect life. You also show the ups and downs that is a part of everybody’s life. This fact ,and the fact that you seems to be able to balance the privacy limit in a great way makes your blog my number 1. favorite .
Keep up your good work!
Kari
Beulah says
Andrea, you are really doing a great work! And I’ve already mentioned in my e-mails.
Last month only i started reading your blog..and you won’t believe.. i’ve read almost all the posts! 🙂
since our food habits are entirely different than yours am not that lucky to try your recipe pages and freezer cooking, etc.
But, the posts related to organizing, really helped me a lot. Specially that 80-20 rule! I’ve purged a LOT and now my wardrobe is cleaner than ever; But the purging still going on.
Love the way to use block of time, top 5 list for a day, 15 minutes cleaning, Stay organized chart, the way u organized your master closet, T-shirt folding and of course Nora’s updates & your learnings through her! – I won’t say i’ve started to put in action all the above but it really helped me to see things in a new way and now cleaning-washing-organizing-working-parenting looks a bit more simple to me than I thought earlier ! 🙂
Not but not the least. I love your writing style a LOT!
Keep up the good work! 🙂
Amy says
Andrea –
I love your blog. It is one of my favorites! It is an inspiration to me all the time.
Cathleen says
I have been meaning to post or email you to let you know how much your blog has impacted my life, and I am impressed that you have come out and asked. Feedback is so important.
I came across your blog back in February of this year while looking for recipes to make my brownies more interesting and I came across “Monster Brownies”. I still have the recipe saved on my bookmarks list but I just realized I haven’t had a chance to try them yet! I became a little side tracked and spent the rest of the night pouring through and absorbing many of your posts. I was so intrigued – your blog and advice was exactly what I needed at the time.
Since February I have:
– been using the oil cleansing method every day and have better skin for it
– use the homemade shower cleaner and my showers are cleaner and I have saved quite a bit on cleaners! Soap scum – GONE!
– downloaded your household budget sheet – this has made it easier to work with my hubby on our finances
– implemented the 15 min clean up and I spend less time on weekends cleaning – I have a cleaner house AND CAR!
– use the bread-in-5 once in a while
– make my own granola
-added sweet potato to my chili – the family LOVES it
-use the 5 things to do today rule at work
-your blog on “getting clients to pay” helped reinforce some habits I had stopped using because many of my clients are friends and I got into trouble getting paid what I thought I was worth
-and I related to your article on burnout – having been there and I need to recognize the signs or burnout and react sooner
WOW. A long list and I am sure I left a few out!
After reading your blog I feel more comfortable about being frugal, and I use your photos as inspiration before I start an organizing project or tidy up
OK so I really should have sent an email as this comment post is TOO LONG
Your blog has positively impacted my life on a daily basis since Feb and I know it will continue to do so. I read it every day. I think your support page is a fantastic idea and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your inspiring posts and for putting yourself out there for us.
Eva says
After going through two major moves (one planned, the other unplanned) in less than 10 months, loosing not only most of our material possesions in the process but also my footing and swinging on the edge of depression as a result, finding your blog and getting inspired was LITERALLY a lifesaver! Thank you, thank you, thank you! May your work bring such relief and help to anyone lost and confused, you have a blessed gift!
Deni says
Andrea, Thank you so much for all of the great information you share with your readers! I have learned so many great tips for housekeeping, saving money and great recipes. Every recipe that I have tried of yours has turned out great! I now have a meal planning binder for all of them and it really helps me with meal planning. I look forward to your posts every day. SOL is the best and first blog I read every day : )
Michele ODonnell says
I have your blog in my Google Reader and enjoy reading it. I’m using the oil face washing method because of your post. I am trying to use coupons now. And I too make my own cleaning and personal products and enjoy your post. Also, I admire how organized you are.
Amy says
Andrea,
I found your site about 3 to 4 weeks ago and I am hooked! My teens even said, “Simple, organized living,’ that sounds just like you, Mom.” I have really enjoyed visiting your site and reading your new posts or going back and catching up on old ones. I love your tips and recipes. It is so fun to find a ‘kindred spirit’. 😉 Keep up the good work.
God bless you,
Amy
Tanya V. says
Andrea!
I was introduced to your site through your sister. I absolutely LOVE your site and look forward to reading it everyday. I too am trying so hard to get organized this year and I am doing so little by little. It is very hard when you work full-time and have 2 kids, but I have been able to get through some stuff. My biggest battle is paper work! YUCK! I have so many papers, that I want to either file or burn/shred and I have not gotten through it, yet. (I am almost afraid to start) 🙂 I just don’t know how to organize all of it.
I have learned so much from your site and am trying to become more frugal. I enjoy all your little recipes as well.
Thank you for all you do you are a great insperation.
God Bless you and your adorable family!
Tanya
Jen says
Andrea, I too came across your blog a few months ago. I don’t even remember how I ended up on it but I am so glad I did. I check it everyday to see what’s new. I have gone back through your older posts as well. So much great information! From meal planning to saving money to organizing, I’ve put many of your ideas to work for my family. I also loved your recent posts on baby must haves. My sister is due with her first child in August and we were trying to figure out what she would need. Your post came at the perfect time. Thank you for all you do for your readers. It is very much appreciated!
Rita says
I enjoy your daily insights. Have used many of your ideas. You are authentic and I appreciate that because you share the challenges as well as the opportunities.
Cmbhbg says
Your smile and baby Nora photos both cheer up my days : )
I am an empty-nester with no grandchildren, so I especially look forward to your photos and tales of your days with a new baby….. some of your tips are fun to try but with our nest now being home to just 2, our life style has moved beyond what a younger, growing family needs to find ..
However, that being said…from my experiences, your readers will find much of what you provide will turn out to be so helpful…wish the older generation could have had the blog support so readily available to young moms today…but we muddled thru..those Keep/Stay Calm subway signs sum up many of our life experiences!!!
So please keep interest in your site because you do provide so much in many different ways to your readers : )
Chelsea says
Andrea,
Just wanted to let you know I really enjoy your blog and find it very helpful, the latest thing to work for me was your post on preserving store bought lettuce/spinach. As someone who has loved spinach since I was a little girl and use it in many recipes I was throwing away so much of it (costing me $ every week) because it just didn’t stay fresh long enough. Well, I followed your tip and it lasts now 2-3 weeks 🙂
Since I write 3 blogs of my own (a lifestyle, baby and beauty blog) I don’t read many blogs daily but yours I do.
I find your blog so helpful I am I have linked back to it several times for 2 of my blogs and refer my readers to your vast recipes and baby tips.
Sara says
Andrea, I found your blog through Money Saving Mom a couple of months ago. I have a little boy the same age as Nora and a 2 year old boy. I love seeing your pictures of Nora and the encouragement that you are giving to other moms, especially to “do what works for you.” There are so many that believe there’s only one way to raise a baby, and it’s so negative…. So thank you for being a voice to moms to just do what is right for you! I made a double batch of the pizza pasta yesterday, and put it in 4 smaller dishes. We had one for dinner and three for the freezer. It was yummy, thanks for sharing it!! I also love seeing your organizing tips! ~ Sara in IL
Briana says
Hi Andrea, I found you blog about 2 months ago and fell in love the moment I read it. I religiously check your site everyday to see what interesting tips or stories you have to share. I have even started your “15 minute pick up” system and my house has never been more
organized. I even have my husband joining in on the fun. So thank you so much for all your great tips. You definately made a difference in one family’s life. 🙂
sara says
I’m especially thankful for your SIMPLE recipes! Can’t wait to try the pizza one you just posted!
Jenny says
I stumbled upon your blog about a month ago and am hooked now. I struggle with clothing clutter and found some great organizing ideas. My tank tops are now nicely in order and easy to find thanks to your tips. We are now in the process of a big move several states away so I am using any tips I can find on your site for guidance. Your passion for being debt free is also inspiring. I hope to be there one day!
Thanks!
Jenny
Amy says
Andrea, I too love your site! I read your new posts everyday and enjoy going back and looking at past posts I may have missed. I am so grateful to you and what you provide to your readers and fans. I hope you continue to have success and keep providing us with your helpful ideas, tips etc.
Keep up the amazing work!
Jen says
Andrea, I think that’s a great idea. Your blog is one of only a few that I click on loyally every single day, and I’ve loved making my way through the archives. I hope I’ve brought you some traffic and new readers by pinning some of your posts or linking to them from my blog. I’ve gotten a lot out of SOL, and I hope you feel compelled to keep at it for a long time. Best of luck to your sweet family and your future business endeavors.